M97 Simplo Battery-Prototype battery

[pafell]

Firstly, I would like to say hello! to everyone as it is my first post here, even though Macrumors helped me to solve many problems with my MacBook while I was visiting as a guest

However, I couldn't find a topic related to my problem so I decided to finally join the community and post my first thread My problem:

I have recently bought new battery for my MacBook 13'' aluminium. I didn't buy it at Apple Store so that I could save a bit. Instead, I've bought it on a eBay-like site (it is my country-specific, not available anywhere else so the address doesn't matter). The auction said it was original Apple battery and the photo looked ok.

Yesterday I got that battery via post. I was a bit shocked at first, mainly because of the text on the battery:

M97 Simplo Battery-Prototype

, while there is hardly any text on my current battery.

The "material" from which this battery is made is pretty similar, if not same, to my current battery so I don't really think it's completely fake and rubbish. It's the same size and colour. Most probably the same weight and material.


I haven't connected it yet because I'll be claiming my money back if the battery is not original. My question is: is this battery, ehm, ok? I don't really mind having a battery with some more text on it but I want to know is it an Apple original battery. And will the "Prototype" word affect me in any way as a simple user? Is it any different from other batteries? Anyone here have been using this battery?


I am attaching three photos of this battery. I know the battery is different from the one included in auction (which could be a reason for claiming money back itself) but I don't mind as long as it's the original battery.

#1 (the text on the right upper side says: "EVT2 Build | Conf. | GG rev. 06")
#2
#3

Could you please calm me down that this battery is completely fine and I don't need to argue with the guy who sold it to me? It know this thread is a perfect occasion for jokes like "it's Steve Jobs personal battery which he had lost few days ago" but please... :>

(btw.: he had a history of about 1000 successful trades. No one gave him a negative comment)



Thanks in advance,
Pawel

 

[ouimetnick]

It appears to be an Apple Prototype Battery. It was probably used for testing prototype Unibody Aluminum MacBooks. The battery Serial Number, shown in photo 2 is 6N82500K13C1. The 6N82500K13C1 the 8 is they year that the battery was made. So it was made back in 2008. But in 2008 their are 52 weeks. 6N82500K13C1 The 25 is the week that it was made. So in 2008, this battery was made 25 weeks into they year 2008. So this battery is 2 years old. I'm not sure I would keep a 2 year battery that should be brand new.

I would buy a new Battery from Apple. BUT keep the old one. Its a RARE PROTOTYPE from Apple. Apple's prototypes rarely make it into the wild. It could be worth a lot of money. Prototype iPhones and Macs go for several grand more than they are worth on Ebay.

 

[pafell]

Thank you for your detailed post, ouimetnick I didn't know that I can read the age of the battery from its serial number. Well, I knew there must be a way but now I know how to do it

Also thank you for your suggestion -- I will keep it then and start looking for a battery from an Apple Store. Maybe I will manage to find some discount leaflet or something :>
I have also checked my new battery with coconutBattery and it said the battery was never used (0 load-cycles). That's another reason in favour of keeping it


Thank you again! Thread can be closed/marked as solved as I have got a response I needed

 

[ouimetnick]

Thank you for your detailed post, ouimetnick I didn't know that I can read the age of the battery from its serial number. Well, I knew there must be a way but now I know how to do it

Also thank you for your suggestion -- I will keep it then and start looking for a battery from an Apple Store. Maybe I will manage to find some discount leaflet or something :>
I have also checked my new battery with coconutBattery and it said the battery was never used (0 load-cycles). That's another reason in favour of keeping it


Thank you again! Thread can be closed/marked as solved as I have got a response I needed

Just a little FYI, the age decoding also works with other Apple products (Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad. So you can see how old your Mac is (year and week it was made) By looking at the 3rd, 4th, and 5th digits of the Apple device's serial number.

Eg: my old now dead iPod touch serial number is 9E9111FE201. 9E9111FE201 9 is they year it was made. So the iPod touch was made in 2009. 9E9111FE201. It was made in week 11. So 11 weeks into 2009 is when my iPod touch was made. My iPod touch was made in March 2009.

You can have a web site like appleserialnumberinfo.com encode your serial number for you, or you can figure it out yourself. Like I said, this cool technique also applies to other Apple products like Mac computers, iPods, and iPhones, iPads, Apple TV, and more